Eagle Women Fall On The Road

(Posted January 24, 2007)

ANNVILLE, Pa. - The Juniata College women\'s basketball team and Lebanon Valley College combined for one field goal in the final 2:51 of regulation and overtime but the home team had the one basket and claimed the edge at the line as Juniata dropped a 55-53 overtime decision in Commonwealth Conference action Wednesday in Annville.
Kelly Ashcraft (State College/Bellefonte) scored a game-high 15 points for Juniata (11-7, 2-5 Commonwealth) but the Eagles could not find the basket in the closing minutes of the game and overtime.
A hoop from Lebanon Valley\'s Monica Johnson with 2:51 remaining gave the home team a 46-45 lead, its first lead since the 11:13 mark of the second half. Juniata answered with two free throws from Courtney Callas (Freeport/Sarver) to reclaim the lead. The teams then began a parade to the foul line, with Cassie Moore eventually giving Lebanon Valley a 51-49 lead with 1:21 remaining when she hit three free throws. Callas again answered with a pair from the line with 1:05 left, and neither team was able to convert in the final minute as the game went to overtime.
In the extra session Lebanon Valley jumped in front by four with two players hitting a free throw, and Megan Bish breaking the scoring drought from the field with a hoop one minute into the overtime. The Eagles worked back within two points after Mindy Werner (West York/York) and Jess Winemiller (Dallastown/York) each sank one from the foul line. Juniata then got a chance for the win as they forced a turnover with 28 seconds remaining, but Winemiller\'s three-point attempt was short, and the Eagles were unable to get a shot off after grabbing the offensive rebound.
Johnson led four players in double figures for Lebanon Valley (6-10, 3-4 Commonwealth) with 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
Juniata got off to a hot start in the game as three early triples from Ali Meckey (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) helped Juniata built a six-point edge in the first six minutes. Lebanon Valley slowly came back, taking its first lead on a Donna Geiger hoop with 5:26 remaining in the first half. From there neither team held a lead of more than six points the rest of the game. The game featured eight ties and seven lead changes.
Ashcraft was 5 of 8 from the field and also pulled down a team-high five rebounds for the Blue and Gold. Claudia McDowell (Juniata Valley/Alexandria) chipped in 12 points and a team-best seven assists in the game. Meckey and Callas each added nine points in the game.
Jenna Gambino scored 11 points for Lebanon Valley with Bish and Cassie Moore each adding 10 points. Gambino also paced the team with five assists.
Juniata returns to action on Saturday with a home conference game against Moravian College.
###